Luggage tag



s .Nov. 14, 1%?

s. JAVKIN 3,352,040

LUGGAGE rFAG Filed oct. 2K5, 1965 United States Patent C) 3,352,040 LUGGAGE TAG Simon Javkin, 160 West End Ave., New York, N.Y. 10023 Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 503,059 3 Claims. (Cl. 40--21) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A luggage tag comprising an elongated strip of synthetic plastic material having a plate and shank. The strip has an opening therein adjacent the plate. The shank has a free end provided with a T-shaped enlargement received in the opening for holding the shank in a closed loop arrangement. The plate is provided with indicia retaining means including rectangular plate portions interconnected by a flexible connecting portion. Resilient locking detents and corresponding apertures are provided in the plate portions in interlocked relationship.

This invention relates to a luggage tag, and more particularly to a tag adapted to be attached to the handle or other suitable portions of various articles of luggage, such as valises, suitcases, handbags and the like, without requiring any additional means of connection.

Various types of luggage tags have been devised in the past for providing a name and address label for use in identifying ownership or possession of an article of luggage. These luggage tags usually require chains, bands, links, or other separate connecting means for attachment to the handle or other part of the article c-f luggage. It is the concept of the present invention to provide a luggage tag which is provided with a shank portion integrally molded with the plate portion of the luggage tag, and which is provided with means on the end of the shank cooperating with an opening of suitable shape in the luggage tag for securely detachably connecting the luggage tag to the article of luggage.

An object of the present invention resides in the provision of a luggage tag adapted to be molded out of soft polyethylene material which may be engraved with a leather-like pattern so as to be highly attractive, and which can -be molded in any desired color and in any selected size.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a luggage tag which is provided with a T- shaped end portion on the shank thereof adapted to cooperate with a T-shaped opening so as to form a closed loop for holding the luggage tag on an article of luggage.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a luggage tag which is provided with two plate portions adapted to hold an acetate window and suitable name and address labels therein in a novel manner, and which is a-lso adapted to hold and lock the spherical free end of the shank portion of a luggage tag in a manner so as to form a closed loop.

Still further objects of the present invention reside in the provision of a luggage tag that is highly attractive in appearance, that is strong and durable, and capable of being inexpensively manufactured out of readily available synthetic plastic materials so as to permit wide use and distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the present invention, which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this luggage tag, preferred embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the plane of line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view with a portion broken away to show parts in section of a luggage tag as connected to the handle of an article of luggage;

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail View taken along the plane of line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

PIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the luggage tag;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the embodiment of the luggage tag as shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of a luggage tag taken along the plane of line 7-7 in FIG. 6 but illustrating the luggage tag in its closed looped position.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, and with initial attention directed to the embodiment as shown in FIGS. l through 4, yreference numeral 10 generally designates a luggage tag constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention. The luggage tag 10 includes a plate 12 and a shank 14. The shank 14 is provided with a flared portion 16 which interconnects the relatively wide plate portion 12with the relatively narrow shank portion 14. The free end 18 of the shank portion 14 is of a substantially T-shape with the cross bar 20 of the T being of approximately the same dimension as the major portion of the shank 14. The ared portion 16 is provided with an opening 22 therein.

The plate 12 is of a generally rectangular shape having a peripheral frame 28 therearound for receiving an acetate window and a label to be inserted preferably through a slot 30. The luggage tag 10' may be easily attached to the handle 40 or other portion of an article of luggage such as a valise, suitcase, handbag, or the like, by merely inserting the cross bar 20 through the opening 22 and then releasing the shank 14 which will cause a turning of the T-shaped end 18v and prevent withdrawal of the T-shaped end 18 out of the opening 22.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 5 through 7, reference numeral 110 is used to generally designate this form of luggage tag, which includes a plate 112 and a shank 114. The shank 114 is integrally formed with and connects with the plate 112 at 116, and is provided with a free end 118. The free end is of substantially spherical shape, and inwardly spaced from the free end there is provided a connecting neck of a reduced diameter. The shank 114 is of relatively narrow width, while the plate 112 is relatively wider.

The plate 112 includes a pair of plate portions 124 and 126. The solid plate portion 124 is provided with a plurality of apertures 12S therethrough as well as an opening 136, and is provided with a raised peripheral frame 132 through which the apertures 128 and opening extend. The plate portion 126 is provided with a peripheral frame 134 about a central opening for retaining an acetate window 136 and/or label between the frames 134 and 132 at the peripheral edges thereof. A slot 138 is formed in the plate portion 126 at the part thereof most remote from the free end 118 and a plurality of mushroom-shaped detents 140 rise from the peripheral frame 134 and are adapted to be aligned with the apertures 128. Interconnecting the individual frame portions 124 with-the frame portion 126 is a connecting portion 144 which is of relatively little thickness and is foldable as can be best seen in FIG. 7. The detents 140 serve to lock the frame portion 126 in an overlying relationship relative to the connecting portion 144 with the mushroom-shaped detents being forced through the openings 12S and then allowed to expand to anchor the plate portions 124 and 126 in a closed position relative to each other. However, before the plate portion 126 is folded into overlying relationship with respect to the plate portion 124, the shank is first bent into a closed loop as shown in FIG. 7 with the enlarged spherical end 120 being forced through the opening 130. The plate portion 124 is then folded into overlying relationship with respect to the plate portion 124 and the slot 138 receives the neck 122 so as to lockingly hold the free end in its closed loop position.

The luggage tags are preferably molded out of soft polyethylene and suitably embossed with a leather-like material or with any suitable design, and may be made in any sutiable color or size.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended clairns be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

I claim:

1. A luggage tag comprising au elongated strip of synthetic plastic material, having a plate and a shank, said strip having an opening therein adjacent said plate, said shank having a free end provided with an enlargement, said enlargement being received in said opening for holding said shank in a closed loop arrangement, said plate being provided with indicia retaining means, said plate including two rectangular plate portions interconnected by a flexible connecting portion, a first of said plate portions having a series of apertures therein spaced about its periphery, a second of said plate portions having a plurality of resilient locking detents, said connecting portion being folded so that said detents extend through said apertures lockingly holding said second plate portion in overlying relationship to said first plate portion, said opening being in said first plate portion, said second plate portion having a slot therein in alignment with said opening.

2. A luggage tag according to claim 1 wherein said shank has a neck of reduced dimensions adjacent said enlargement, said slot `being of less width than said shank, said neck being received in said slot.

3. A luggage tag according to claim 2, wherein said enlargement is substantially of a spherical shape.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 491,581 2/1893 MOrgan 40l7 2,511,651 6/1950 Schlitz 40-10 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,741 2/1964 Australia. 795,492 5/1958 Great Britain.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A LUGGAGE TAG COMPRISING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF SYNTHETIC PLASTIC MATERIAL, HAVING A PLATE AND A SHANK, SAID STRIP HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN ADJACENT SAID PLATE, SAID SHANK HAVING A FREE END PROVIDED WITH AN ENLARGEMENT, SAID ENLARGEMENT BEING RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING FOR HOLDING SAID SHANK IN A CLOSED LOOP ARRANGEMENT, SAID PLATE BEING PROVIDED WITH INDICIA RETAINING MEANS, SAID PLATE INCLUDING TWO RECTANGULAR PLATE PORTIONS INTERCONNECTED BY A FLEXIBLE CONNECTING PORTION, A FIRST OF SAID PLATE PORTIONS HAVING A SERIES OF APERTURES THEREIN SPACED ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY, A SECOND OF SAID PLATE PORTIONS HAVING A PLURALITY OF RESILIENT LOCKING DETENTS, SAID CONNECTING PORTION BEING FOLDED SO THAT SAID DETENTS EXTEND THROUGH SAID APERTURES LOCKINGLY HOLDING SAID SECOND PLATE PORTION IN OVERLYING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FIRST PLATE PORTION, SAID OPENING BEING IN SAID FIRST PLATE PORTION, SAID SECOND PLATE PORTION HAVING A SLOT THEREIN IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPENING. 